Concentration
Concentration was a game show where two contestants match prizes and solve rebus puzzles to win them. It was the first revival of the classic 50s puzzle show. Game format Main Game Two contestants faced a game board consisting of 30 numbered squares. Behind those numbers were matching pairs of prizes worth tens of dollars to hundreds of dollars. The hidden prizes cover up a rebus puzzle which the contestants try to solve. On a player's turn he/she picked off numbers. When the show started, the contestant chose two numbers in both games; it was later changed to having contestants picked three numbers in the first game and later both games. If the numbers he/she picked uncovered a match, he/she won the prize and revealed pieces of a puzzle. If he/she doesn't match, control of the board goes to the opponent. Special Squares Also hidden on the board were special squares that affected game play. * Wild Card - This was a very special square which if uncovered, caused a automatic match. When the show started, there were two on the board and if they were both found, the contestant won $500 cash bonus which was his/hers to keep win or lose. Later shows had four Wild cards on the board in the second game and the bonus was reduced to $250. * Take One Gift - When matched, that gave the contestant in control the right to steal one of his/her opponents' prizes if he/she had any. * Forfeit One Gift - When matched, that forced the contestant in control to give away one of his/her own prizes if he/she had any. * Free Look - When uncovered, that square revealed a puzzle part immediately and of course the contestant got to guess. * Bonus Number - Only shown in the second game, when if matched, the contestant in control can pick a third number if the first two don't match. ---- The first player to solve the puzzle kept all the prizes and went on to play the Double Play game for a new car. Double Play In the Double Play game, the winning contestant had 10 seconds to solve two more rebuses. The first one was worth $100 and the second was worth a new car. Later playings starting in Fall 1977 had contestants pick off numbers from a 9-square board which hide four matching pairs of prizes (one of them being a new car). The first prize matched became the grand prize for solving the second puzzle. But there was also a square that allowed the winning contestant to play for all prizes revealed up to that point. Personnel *Host: Jack Narz *Announcer: Johnny Olson *Producers: Howard Felsher, Buck D’Amore, Allen Koss *Director: Ira Skutch *Set Designer: Ted Cooper Trivia Jack Narz was hosting Now You See It for CBS while hosting this show. Merchandise Main Article: Concentration/Merchandise Photos Con1.png Con2.png Con3.png conc3.jpg Con4.png Con5.png Con6.png Con7.png conc8.jpg conc2.jpg conc11.jpg conc10.jpg Episode Status Video See Also Concentration (1985 pilot) Classic Concentration Category:Concentration Category:Game Shows A-M Category:Syndicated Category:1973 Premiere Category:1978 Ending